Six Tips To Deep Clean Your Garage

One thing on your long summer to-do list may be cleaning out the old garage. For most, this sounds easier than it actually is. Garages tend to house years of accumulated and forgotten items, especially if you have a large family. On top of that, there is years of dirt and grime on the floors from car tires and engines, bikes, lawnmowers, etc.

Clearing everything out and cleaning your garage is a serious job. Below are six tips to help you make the most of the big clean out.

Pick a date

To avoid putting off the task, choose a hard date on your calendar when you’ll be home and free for your garage clean out. Depending on the size of your garage, a full weekend may be necessary. Tell your family members about the date to make sure they will be around to pitch in.

Gather your resources

Stock up on large trash bags, visit your local grocery store or big-box store for discarded cardboard boxes, and get a big push broom to sweep out dirt. If you have a lot of stuff lurking in your garage that you need to toss, consider calling your county’s waste management service to schedule a bulk pick-up or see if you can order a dumpster.

Ask for help

Do you need to borrow a friend’s pickup truck to lug your unwanted items to the dump? How about a power washer to clean the floor once it’s clutter-free? Ask around and line these things up in advance so that you’re ready to go.

Pile it right

At the start of your clean out, create three piles: to keep, to sell, and to donate. As you come across items in your garage, add them to their respective area and keep moving. Be firm in your decision; once something has landed in the sell or donate pile, try to resist temptation to go back and keep it.

Organize, organize, organize

Set yourself up to re-organize your space once it’s squeaky clean. Do you need to install more shelving units? Hooks and bins? Gather these items in advance.

Sweep & power-wash

Once you’ve organized, move every item out of your garage and sweep out the loose dirt, rocks, leaves, etc. Then power-wash the floors and walls. Washing away a decade (or more!) of grime will really help your garage sparkle.